Two years ago, Ellie Black vanished without a trace. Now, Detective Chelsey Calhoun gets the call everyone thought would never come—Ellie has been found, wandering in the Washington state woods. Chelsey is determined to help Ellie and her family find closure, especially since the loss of her own sister nearly 20 years ago fractured her own family. But Ellie’s return is far from a storybook ending. The more Chelsey investigates, the more she realizes Ellie’s case is filled with unsettling secrets and twists that defy everything she thought she knew.
I was so smug reading this book because I knew that I’d clocked the villain with their first appearance on the page – and I was 100% wrong in every way. This was a great mystery, and Detective Calhoun’s backstory, interwoven with that of the town and other residents, was a powerful balance to the book as she pieced together Ellie’s experience. Some parts of the story were (emotionally) difficult to read as the layers of what happened to Ellie and where she’d been began to unfold.
The audiobook features a full-cast narration, which adds dimension to the story, though it didn’t elevate the experience as much as I’d hoped. That said, it’s still an excellent production and a great way to immerse yourself in this chilling mystery. (Run time: 10 hours, 11 minutes.)
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Book Smart Kate 